New York to Dallas (In Death, #33) in The Massive J.D. Robb "In Death" Re-Read!

Feb 07, 2015 Ariel rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2015, personal-collection

I have to say that I was slightly disappointed with this one and it’s since been relegated to my ‘least favorites’ of the series. That seems like an overly polite way to say that I didn’t like the book but it isn’t quite what I mean. I like the book as I like all In Death books; I like revisiting the characters and seeing them develop from book to book, I like bingeing on rereads of this series when I need to sink into something comfortable, and I like that I’ve found a series that remains perso
I have to say that I was slightly disappointed with this one and it’s since been relegated to my ‘least favorites’ of the series. That seems like an overly polite way to say that I didn’t like the book but it isn’t quite what I mean. I like the book as I like all In Death books; I like revisiting the characters and seeing them develop from book to book, I like bingeing on rereads of this series when I need to sink into something comfortable, and I like that I’ve found a series that remains personally important to me. I’ve yet to read an In Death addition that felt superfluous to the series’ cannon or one that would disrupt enjoyment of the series as a whole.

In the synopsis (paraphrased/no spoilers): Twelve years ago, LT. Eve Dallas was a rookie cop knocking on doors during an investigation. Her gut tripped when she met Isaac McQueen, a man that was discovered to be a pedophile and murderer. Because she listened to her gut the young girls that were being held captive by McQueen in cages were rescued. Now, McQueen has escaped from jail and is leaving a trail for Eve as he heads to Dallas, Texas. Eve and Roarke pursue McQueen to the city Eve was found in as a child, facing memories and secrets from Eve’s monstrous past as they close in on him and his plans for revenge.

Fans of the series will be aware of the importance of this book’s title. Dallas, Texas plays an integral role in Eve’s origin and the plot of the series. We’ve seen her confront her memories of that time, place, and the monster that lies there. (view spoiler) We’ve even seen her revisit Dallas in the past, albeit briefly. As such, we’re aware that this book will probably play a vital role in where Eve is psychologically and how her character develops from this point on - simply from a title. That’s kind of a lot to live up to for a new addition to the series’ arc.

That aside, I struggled to sink into this book. I wanted to love it but the tone felt off. I enjoyed that Robb tried going with a slightly different style but felt that there was so much she wanted to include in this book, so much backstory that was vital to series’ cannon and that was vital to her fans that have been so steeped in and moved by Eve as an influential character, that the tone felt rushed to the point of stuttering in places while it dragged in others. I ended up wondering if a ghostwriter had made an appearance. Robb can write character development and interaction; her cast of characters and their history together is a major draw of the series. There are certainly developments in this book that are and will be vital to the series and to its characters but the delivery of so much coincidence and stuttered interaction was distracting.

I had two major issues with the book. One, (view spoiler) Two, (view spoiler)

Issues aside, this book had its highlights as well. I liked that the story involves Eve as a rookie - it’s certainly something I would enjoy more of. Captain Feeney often mentions that Eve had something special/vital about her throughout the series, it’s why (view spoiler); I like that we see the result of her gut instinct. Psychologically, there’s a lot to back up gut instinct in an encounter like Eve’s first meeting McQueen. Especially the gut instinct of those who have dealt with individuals like him. Unfortunately, there needs to be more. A lot of people ignore their instincts. We’re conditioned to think that our instinct is nothing more than fear or bias, we err to thinking that we’re just being ridiculous or that we’re just too scarred to react realistically because of past experience. If only we were encouraged to be more in tune with the nuances of instinct and bias, what a different world that would be. As Eve Dallas is an important character because of her backstory and her development throughout the series, so are the messages like ‘trust your instincts’ that populate the books throughout. ...more

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